Tips on UTI Detection, Treatment, and Prevention

Feeling some pressure in the lower abdomen? Noticing frequent urges to urinate or an undeniable pain, burning sensation, or foul smell when peeing that can’t be ignored? There’s a possibility that the urinary tract may be infected.
Although it is more common in women and people born with ovaries, almost all individuals are susceptible to a urinary tract infection (UTI).

Wondering what’s happening and why? This article will cover what UTIs are and products to treat help.

Do I Have A Urinary Tract Infection?
So why is it suddenly painful to pee? Well this might mean that bacteria has made its way into the urinary tract, which can affect part of the tract or all of the tract. This is called a urinary tract infection. What generally causes the symptoms of a UTI is the multiplication of bacteria within the urinary tract which can cause irritation and inflammation.

Detecting UTIs



A great product to help detect if you may have a test for a UTI at home is the AZO
Rapid Test. This product contains two types of test strips that test for leukocytes (white blood cells) and nitrites, both of which are used to help detect UTI’s.
Symptoms of UTIs

Here are some symptoms associated with a UTI to look out for:
● Pain or burning when urinating
● Pressure in the lower belly
● Fever or tiredness
● Urge to urinate often, or at night
● Urine that smells, is cloudy, or reddish
● Pain in the back or sides of the ribs (this is where the kidneys live)

Treating a UTI
The good news is that most UTIs are VERY treatable. If experiencing any of the above symptoms there are options available!



1. A medical provider can prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria causing the infection. They may also want to do additional urine tests, especially if the UTI is recurrent or hard to treat.
2. To treat the pain and discomfort, we recommend keeping Azo Urinary Pain Relief on hand. This pain reliever targets the source of the pain caused by a UTI and can quickly relieve burning and the urge to urinate frequently.

Preventing Future UTIs
However, the best way to avoid UTIs is to, well, avoid them. There are lots of ways a person may be able to prevent contracting a UTI. Some easy ways are:

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● Drinking lots of fluids, especially water
● Urinating after sex
● Wiping from front to back
● Avoiding irritating products (like sprays or powders) in the genital area
● Trying SimpleHealth’s Urinary Tract Support

Although UTIs can be prevented, some people may find they are consistently having discomfort from UTIs. If this is the case, consult your medical provider and ask about other options that might be available.

What Is The Urinary Tract?
The urinary tract is made up of some key organs, the kidneys, bladder, and tubes that run to the urethra. A healthy urinary tract’s job is to remove waste from the blood. This process starts with the kidneys that filter out waste and toxins that are potentially harmful to the blood, which creates urine.
Urine then travels from the kidneys to the bladder for storage, so a person doesn’t have to squat over the toilet all day. (The body is kind that way.)
Once the bladder signals to the brain that it’s full and won’t be able to hold any more urine, the urine then travels through two tubes called ureters, and runs through the urethra to cause peeing. Pretty cool right? In penis owners, the urethra is typically at the tip of the penis and for vulva owners the urethra is located above the opening of the vagina.

Looking to learn more? Check out our Simplified blog.

Citations:
Urinary tract infections. Urinary tract infections | Office on Women's Health. (n.d.).
Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/urinary-tract-
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20months.&text=Women%20get%20UTIs%20more%20often,is%20shorter%20than%20a
%20man%27s
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). Bladder infection (urinary tract
infection-UTI) in adults. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
Retrieved July 1, 2022, from https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-
diseases/bladder-infection-uti-in-
adults#:~:text=Symptoms%20of%20a%20bladder%20infection,such%20as%20an%20enl
arged%20prostate
U.S. National Library of Medicine. (n.d.). Urinary tract infections | UTI | UTI symptoms.
MedlinePlus. Retrieved July 1, 2022, from
https://medlineplus.gov/urinarytractinfections.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (n.d.). About urinary tract health. Eunice
Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. Retrieved
July 1, 2022, from https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/urinary/conditioninfo